Change of focus needed?

Leviticus 22; Psalms 28–29; Ecclesiastes 5; 2 Timothy 1

Breakfast is important to get metabolism going and to having nourishment for the morning hours but reading or watching the news while I eat does not do much for my spiritual life. Today, as for the past weeks, the news is all bad, all focused on the progress of a killer virus and lives taken as this virus sprays its way across the world. I came to my Bible with a strong sense of “I don’t want to do today” and read through the above Scriptures without any sense of the wonder of God. I felt useless and helpless, unwilling to call others or write them. It was an “I want to curl up in a ball” day.

God is merciful. My commentary on 2 Timothy gave one line that turned my heart to think differently. It says, “Paul wrote this letter as he awaited execution.”

I am reasonably healthy and not facing death but he was near the end of his life, the end of his ministry, abandoned by most of his friends for fear of persecution. Yet Paul faithfully pointed Timothy to the hope that is in Christ. He encouraged him to be bold, to endure, to be faithful and deal with false teaching. This hit me. I’d just finished thinking how lies spread about this virus pandemic bother me almost as much as current lies about God and His Word.

In the next chapter, Paul says to this younger man: “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:1–2) How much more should those who are older transfer their knowledge of God to others? I’m not to throw a pity-party, give up in the discouragement of not being able to see results, or get frustrated because so few people seem to care about what God says.

Some do and all who do need to be reminded that we cannot use CNN or Facebook for our main source of truth. Instead God give us the only reliable anchor we have. Paul says to Timothy and to me:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14–17)

Fatigue, fear, distractions, worries, bad news, all else that threatens are tools in the arsenal of Satan who throws them at me to deafen the voice of God and keep me from talking to Him, relying on Him, praising His name, and pointing others to Him. The line of a song comes to mind: “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I” and in all of this I hear the Lord telling me to press on.

APPLY: Obey what I know. Get my armor on. Review what God has already done. Present my concerns to Him with thanksgiving for His presence and His faithfulness. Give time and attention to the needs of other as He puts them on my heart — and stop wanting my ‘feelings’ to be perfect before venturing out in faith. He might part the waters first, but if not, I’m to jump in, get my feet wet and trust Him to take care of all obstacles.